Latest news with #Zety
Free Malaysia Today
4 days ago
- Business
- Free Malaysia Today
European workers aren't chuffed with US-style management practices
Based on long working hours, increased monitoring, and a culture of urgency, US-style management can be a direct threat to well-being at work. (Envato Elements pic) PARIS : Flexibility at all costs, productivity as a guiding principle, and employees always on hand – US-style management, long seen as a model of efficiency, now seems divisive. Behind the promises of performance and responsiveness, more and more voices are being raised to denounce practices deemed too intrusive and incompatible with worker expectations in Europe. And while this research is focused on the Old Continent, it serves as a reminder for organisations worldwide that the adoption of management models from elsewhere cannot be undertaken without prior reflection. So, what exactly is 'American-style management'? It's based on individual performance, increased monitoring, long working hours, low tolerance for absenteeism, and a culture of urgency. While some see it as a way of boosting responsiveness and initiative, others see it as a direct threat to well-being at work. A survey conducted by recruitment platform Zety reveals that 86% of the 1,000 French, British, Spanish, Italian and German employees questioned believe the influence of US corporate culture has intensified in Europe. And for many, this isn't the right direction. Close to eight out of 10 respondents fear the adoption of US management practices will lead to a weakening of labour laws, fewer vacations, and a deterioration in work-life balance. America's 'always-on' work culture is of particular concern: 76% of employees believe it would be detrimental to their mental health. Different perceptions of work Workers in Europe do not welcome this gradual shift. For 68% of them, there is an urgent need to strengthen social safeguards to prevent any abusive practices. Some 20% of survey respondents look unfavourably upon the push to return to the office. (Envato Elements pic) A third are worried about increased surveillance in the office and constant monitoring of productivity, while one in five are concerned about possible reductions in remote working. These reflect a lack of confidence in a model perceived as too intrusive. At the heart of the matter lies a different vision of work. Indeed, 95% of employees emphasise the importance of keeping European labour laws independent of US corporate influence, while 59% feel that protecting labour laws from this influence must become a priority. When it comes to the details, there are very concrete trends around which fears are centred: 43% worry about widespread emphasis on long working hours and the cult of performance; 33% fear waves of mass layoffs in tech; 30% point to the impact of AI on employment; and 20% take a dim view of the push to return to the office. In a strong sign, 48% of workers surveyed said they might go so far as to quit their jobs if their work-life balance were compromised by such practices. This figure highlights the growing reluctance to import management methods considered too exacting. It's a wake-up call for companies that may be looking to Silicon Valley for inspiration, without taking local expectations into account. The ability to switch off, and respect for personal time, appear to be lines employees elsewhere do not want crossed. Despite this, certain aspects of the US model still hold a certain appeal. For example, higher salaries and merit-based bonuses, cited by 42% of those surveyed, remain incentives. Just over a quarter also point to the prospects offered by innovative sectors, which are seen as promising and stimulating. But these economic incentives are not enough to mask a profound difference in values. Individual success – which is at the heart of US corporate culture – holds less appeal, for instance. Only 22% of those surveyed favoured this focus on individual achievement, reflecting a certain attachment to a different relationship with work, based on solidarity, life balance, and teamwork.
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Working moms say motherhood derailed their careers
This story was originally published on HR Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily HR Dive newsletter. In a survey of nearly 1,000 working moms, 87% said they've missed promotions or other opportunities due to becoming a parent, Zety's Motherhood & Work Impact Report revealed. Likewise, 90% said they adjusted their career trajectory due to parenthood. Working moms also face bias in the hiring process and stigma about motherhood, the report found; of those surveyed, 89% said they were asked about their parental status during either an interview or a review. A majority also said they thought their pregnancy was considered an inconvenience at work and that they needed to work harder than those without children to prove themselves. The survey results indicate that the adage 'you can't have it all' remains a reality for many working moms, who say they have had to 'mak[e] major career sacrifices just to stay afloat in a system that still penalizes parenting,' according to the report. 'Before motherhood even begins, women are bombarded with unsolicited advice and career warnings when it comes to starting families, signaling that parenthood and professional success are still seen as incompatible,' the report said. More than 3 in 4 working moms said they were explicitly told to put off having kids until they were more established in their career, and 82% said they were told that becoming a parent would hurt their career, the survey found. To that end, 77% of those surveyed said they were afraid to share news of their pregnancy with their boss or co-workers over fears about job security and negative reactions; only 58% said they felt supported by their employer after sharing their pregnancy news. The survey also revealed the stress on working mothers to be seen as available. Eighty-one percent of respondents said they were asked to cut their maternity leave short — or otherwise alter it — to benefit their employer, and 91% said they think women without children are seen as more committed and thus have an advantage at work. Beyond career setbacks, discrimination complaints are filed regularly by working mothers who are allegedly denied time or space to pump breastmilk at work, in violation of the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act. In one case, a former Chipotle employee was allegedly told by a manager that the company's refusal to schedule her was partially tied to the better availability of employees who didn't need accommodations to pump or to store milk. 'It limits you even more,' the manager allegedly told the plaintiff. The majority of women said they feel like mothers are 'forgotten once the baby arrives,' according to a 2024 report by The Harris Poll on U.S. maternal health. Many reported barriers to accessing needed healthcare during pregnancy and childbirth, with the top barrier being inability to take time off work or find childcare to be able to attend appointments. At the same time, when women are able to access and use health benefits, their attendance, retention and productivity at work can be positively affected, according to a November Integrated Benefit Institute report. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Forbes
26-03-2025
- Health
- Forbes
Mentally Clocking Out: The Go-To Reset When Your Mind Is Still Working
The go-to reset when you've called it quits, but your mind hasn't clocked out. Inspired by Apple TV+'s Severance--where employees undergo a medical procedure to erase memories of their job outside of work--a new Zety survey shows a striking real-world parallel in which 60% of U.S. workers believe maintaining a separate 'work identity' is necessary for career success. And 35% say they would 'sever' their work and personal selves in real life if given the option. The idea of separating work and personal life isn't just a science fiction concept—mentally clocking out is a daily challenge for many of us. Clocked out, but your mind is still at work? National Stress Awareness month is coming in April—the perfect time to pay attention to how your mind carries work stress into your personal life after you've called it quits. It's so easy for workday stress to continue stalking you long after you've left your work desk. You're still on the clock, ruminating about work, and you're not getting paid for it. What's wrong with this picture? Your thoughts are floating off into the wild blue yonder. You might replay a disagreement you had with your boss or wonder how you'll meet a tight deadline. The after-hours worry can morph into surging stress about unpaid bills or figuring how to make ends meet in the 2025 turbulent economy. The go-to ritual to reset your mind after work is a simple type of mindful meditation that can move you up the career ladder faster and farther. Present moment awareness enables you to mentally clock out in the brief time it takes to read this article. Short present-moment awareness can unwind stress, reset your brain, clear your head and raise your energy level. The goal of present moment awareness is not to zone out, empty your thoughts, withdraw from the world or get high on life. Present moment awareness is a tool to notice instead of think the habitual thoughts of your mind, watch how your thoughts routinely create stress and how you can get them to relax. Start with simply focusing on an object around you and paying attention to it in the present moment for one minute. Suppose you choose a painting. Notice the size of the painting then notice the myriad of colors and shapes in the painting. Your thoughts may distract you. That's actually part of the meditation process. So, just notice the thoughts that pop up, then let go of control, judgment and trying too hard and simply ease back into the exercise by observing the object again with curiosity instead of judgment—just as you would inspect a blemish on your hand. Now, notice any body sensations you're having. After one minute, if you're like most people, you feel calmer and more clear-minded. Next, with eyes open or shut, focus on what you hear for one minute, and see how many different sounds you can identify. You might notice the heating or air conditioning system, traffic off in the distance, a siren, voices from other areas in the building, an airplane, the ticking of a clock or your own gurgling stomach. If your thoughts distract you, simply notice that they are sidetracking you, let that be okay and focus back on the sounds. After one minute, instead of trying to remember the sounds, bring your attention inside your body and notice if you're calmer and more clearheaded. Maybe your muscles are looser, your heart rate slower, your breathing shallower. These two exercises are samples of how paying attention in the present moment sharpens your awareness, and you didn't effort to calm or clear your mind. It happened automatically as a consequence of bringing your mind into the present and focusing on sights or sounds. You weren't thinking of the heated disagreement with your boss or the tight deadline looming, and both exercises took only two minutes. Now, take your present moment awareness inside and focus on your breath. Sit in a comfortable place in a relaxed position. Breathe in through your nose and out through the mouth, focusing on each inhalation and exhalation. Follow your breath through to a full cycle from the beginning when the lungs are full, back down to when they're empty. Then repeat the cycle, mindfully watching your breath. Thoughts might arise in the form of judgment. You could wonder if you're doing it right, thinking about unfinished work tasks or debating if the meditation is even worth your time. Simply allow the thoughts to arise and observe them with open-heartedness and gently bring your attention back and focus on the breath. Each time your attention strays from the breath (and it will), simply bring awareness back to it. If you get caught in a chain of thoughts, gently step out of the thought stream, then come back to the sensations of your breath. After one minute, notice how much calmer and more connected you are to the present moment. You don't have to undergo a medical procedure to sever your thoughts from work. During the workflow of your day, you can listen to sounds or tune into body sensations during Zoom meetings, while returning emails or meeting deadlines, walking to the printer or waiting for a meeting to start. At the end of the day, instead of mentally flipping through previous stressful events, start clocking out by paying attention to the sensations of your feet against the ground or the feeling of the open sky or sights and sounds around you. Stuck in traffic or on a train after a stressful workday, try mentally clocking out by focusing on your in-breath through your nose and out-breath through your mouth. Once you're aware of work thoughts wandering into the past (the boss you had the disagreement with) or future (what if my job's on the chopping block), gently bring them back to the present. You know you're mentally clocking out when your mind is still, you feel relaxed and rested and you have a calmer approach to stress. In the long term, you know mentally clocking out is working when you're less reactive to job stressors, worry less and are more grounded in the here-and-now.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Five Ways To Make More Money If You're Underpaid at Work
According to Zety's Pay Gaps & Perceptions Report, 32% of Americans feel they get paid less money compared to their peers, with 77% admitting that their dissatisfaction with pay has negatively impacted their productivity levels on the job. The Career Gridlock Report from Resume Now found that 60% of employees have stayed in jobs longer because they felt it would be too challenging to make a career transition. It's worth mentioning that 66% of respondents acknowledged that a career change would improve their happiness, but only 13% have made the switch. If you feel underpaid and ready to increase your income, here are five ways to make more money even if you're not prepared to switch employers. Discover Next: Check Out: Ben Walker, financial expert and CEO of Ditto, shared that you'll want to focus on trying to negotiate a higher salary by asking for a raise if you feel underpaid. To get a raise, you'll want to get some market research data to back up your request and show that you're objectively underpaid. 'Another data-backed way to show this is negotiating for performance-based bonuses based on specific metrics,' he added. 'You can also go for an internal promotion to another role with higher pay.' If you find negotiating a higher salary isn't an option, you'll want to pursue the other moves in this article. Read Next: 'Employers reward employees who bring greater value to the business,' said Ed Huang, side hustle and finance expert at 'If you pursue certifications, training sessions or online courses — such as Udemy or LinkedIn Learning — in high-demand fields such as data analytics, AI or project management, you'll definitely stand out.' You'll want to start by looking into certifications and courses that could make you more valuable at your current job or help you land a higher-paying gig. For example, learning about AI chatbots and data analytics could help you land a role in prompt engineering, which can pay between $62,977 and $136,141 annually, according to Coursera. Some employers offer financial assistance for education so you can upgrade your skills without spending your money. The goal is to find ways to invest in yourself today to make more money tomorrow. Keith Spencer, career expert at Resume Now, noted that career changes are more socially acceptable and alternative pathways like freelancing are making career transitions more feasible. 'The key to overcoming career gridlock is to take a strategic approach,' he added. 'By building financial stability, leveraging skills-based learning and exploring career shifts through freelancing or contract work, professionals can reduce risk while moving toward more fulfilling roles.' The best part about freelancing is that you can offer services related to your current field on the side if you're not ready to switch careers and don't want to change employers. Huang added that freelancing work can be done by writers, graphic designers, administrative assistants, customer care representatives, etcetera. You can find work on platforms like Fiverr, Upwork or According to ZipRecruiter, the pay for freelance graphic design is $35 per hour. However, the amount you earn will depend on the service you offer and your level of expertise. You'll want to ensure that your freelance services are in your area of expertise. If you specialize in human resources, you can help people with resume writing services. If you work in accounting, you can help out during tax season with filing income taxes. If you're underpaid at your day job, you can turn to side hustles to bring in extra money and try to build a business without giving up your main gig. A side hustle will allow you to boost your income and pursue a passion project. Here are some common side hustles worth looking into: Selling digital products online, if you have time to build a business. Selling digital products, like e-books, templates or courses, is a side hustle stream worth looking into. According to ZipRecruiter, average pay for digital sales is $24 per hour, but it will depend on how much you excel at marketing. Reselling items online. You can make money by reselling items you find on clearance at a higher price. You can find items at thrift shops or clearance sections and then sell them on Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Poshmark. ZipRecruiter states a reseller can make around $33 per hour, depending on what kind of products you can find. Look into the gig economy. Huang pointed out that the gig economy also provides several additional income sources outside your full-time job if you're looking for instant access to cash. You can make $18 per hour as a food delivery person in your spare time, per ZipRecruiter. 'If you're an expert on a topic — such as fitness, personal finances or graphic design — you can package your expertise into a course and sell it over and over again without much additional effort,' Huang said. 'Platforms such as Gumroad, Teachable or Udemy make this a smooth process.' The goal is to find a topic you can be an expert in to bring money in your spare time through a side hustle venture. If you're not getting paid enough and have little spare time, you can consider building passive income streams to make money while you sleep. The good news is that you can start building passive income with minimal risks. Huang pointed out that investing in high-yield savings accounts or dividend stocks makes it easy to earn money without any effort if you want to get started. If you have the capital, consider investing in real estate or purchasing a business that generates recurring income. You can outsource some management and list your spare room on Airbnb to turn a space into passive income. You can rent out storage space, tools and cameras on platforms like Neighbor or Fat Llama. There's likely a way that you can turn your current resources into passive income. These simple strategies can help you earn money without any additional effort so that you can supplement your salary. More From GOBankingRates 5 Types of Vehicles Retirees Should Stay Away From Buying 4 Housing Markets That Have Plummeted in Value Over the Past 5 Years 3 Changes That Could Be Coming to Social Security Now That Congress Is Republican 7 Tax Loopholes the Rich Use To Pay Less and Build More Wealth This article originally appeared on Five Ways To Make More Money If You're Underpaid at Work
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Four key AI skills anyone can learn
Whether we like it or not, artificial intelligence is changing the way we work. Having some proficiency in AI is becoming an essential tool for workers and job seekers alike – who are relying on the technology to generate ideas, automate tasks, analyse data, craft cover letters and more. Research shows that more of us are leaning on AI to help us at work. According to Zety's 2025 Future or Work Report, 95% of employees are actively participating in training or taking other steps to improve their AI skills, and 71% already use AI at work. Nearly one in four people wish their employers would make AI-powered tools readily available, a survey of more than 1,100 people by LiveCareer found. Read more: Does AI mean less pay for workers? For the technology-shy, the idea of embracing AI can be daunting. But learning to use it productively – and ethically – isn't as difficult as it can seem. Although the term 'AI skills' encompasses the computing skills needed to design and build AI tools, not all AI skills are so technical. AI literacy, understanding what AI can do and how to use AI systems, is an important competency that anyone can develop. When we talk about AI, we tend to think about tools like ChatGPT, Copilot or Gemini. These are examples of generative AI, models that use existing data to create new content like text, images, videos and music. The key to using these tools is being able to write good prompts – questions, information or sentences – which influence the quality of the outputs you receive. 'Workers in any industry can benefit from learning how to write a great prompt for chatbots like Gemini and ChatGPT,' says Martin Poduška, at Kickresume. 'We recently researched AI use at work and found that 78% of workers across many different industries use these tools in some way. Knowing what to include in the prompt in order to get the results you want is a skill that everyone would benefit from developing.' To write a good prompt, keep your instructions concise, straightforward and conversational. Outline the context of the prompt, for example, if you're asking an AI to write an email to a client, you may want to tell it to be professional. You can refine your prompt again by changing a word or phrase if you don't get the results you're looking for with your first attempt. AI tools are not foolproof, so it's important to verify any facts and figures provided in an output and double-check any references included. Often, AI outputs can be filled with vague 'filler' text and buzzwords. In a paper published in 2024, academics highlighted how large language models (LLM) are proliferating 'careless speech' online – AI-generated output that contains 'subtle inaccuracies, oversimplifications or biased responses' that are phrased confidently. 'Being able to critically evaluate text or images created by generative AI is a specific kind of digital literacy skill that will only become more important as AI becomes more frequently used,' says Poduška. 'Workers should always be on the lookout for errors or 'hallucinations' – incorrect or misleading outputs – in the text, and should develop their research skills to double check its accuracy.' Rose Luckin, a professor of learner-centred design at University College London and an expert in AI use in education, says strategic AI integration is key. Essentially, the goal is to use AI to complement and improve human work, not to fully automate it. 'This involves understanding how to effectively incorporate AI tools to enhance human capabilities, recognising opportunities where AI can augment decision-making, developing critical evaluation skills to assess AI outputs, and maintaining human oversight and judgement,' she says. Staying curious about ways to use AI to save time can be helpful, adds Poduška. 'One great example is using a chatbot to summarise long content like reports or emails, which can be really helpful if you're returning to a project after working on something else and need to refresh your memory,' he says. 'There are lots of AI tools that you can use very easily for tasks that don't require you to learn any coding, you just need to be open to trying something new. For instance, Grammarly checks spelling and grammar, and Canva helps you edit (and generate) images and presentations.' It's also essential to recognise the limitations of the technology. AI lacks human qualities like creativity, emotional intelligence, judgement and true contextual understanding. Read more: Is it ever worth revenge quitting your job? For example, AI may be able to write an email to a disgruntled customer, but it will likely lack the 'human touch' and may end up irritating them more. Likewise, an over-reliance on AI-driven hiring tools means taking human intuition out of the hiring process, which can lead to talented applicants being overlooked. Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at Zety, says the future of work will likely be a blend of human expertise and AI innovation. 'While HR managers are increasingly supportive of AI in job applications, the human element – trust, communication, and engagement – remains essential. Companies must navigate this intersection carefully to foster a work environment that values both technology and the people who power it.' You can teach yourself how to use a lot of AI tools and like any skill, practice is key. However, taking a course can be a good way to develop more technical skills. 'There are a number of online courses available that you can follow in your own time, from free overviews to more in-depth, paid options,' says Poduška. 'But these might still be accessible to lots of people as many are affordably priced, and employers are often happy to pay for their teams to have training. Read more: Why some leaders infantilise their workers 'If you're looking for online courses I'd recommend choosing ones that are fairly recent so the information is up to date,' he adds. 'You can see that these courses have a range of applications and are targeted towards different industries and sectors.' Ultimately, there is no denying that Al may be a threat to some workers and their roles. But for others, it may be possible to take advantage of the rise of the technology by learning new skills – especially job seekers. 'Being able to confidently use this technology to save time, automate tasks and generate new ideas looks great on an application and will come across well in an interview,' says Poduška. Read more: Working parents are missing out on networking, new research suggests How to spot if you're being love-bombed at work Monotasking: How to focus on one thing at a time
